


Take My Hand

by SRMW



Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Trespasser DLC, im really sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-05
Updated: 2015-10-05
Packaged: 2018-04-25 00:52:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4940386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SRMW/pseuds/SRMW
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Continuation of Betrayal and Watchwords.</p><p>Rai deals with the events with Solas while Iron Bull deals with the events in the Davaarad.<br/>Tiny bits of angst, a little bit of fluff and really badly used puns.</p><p>Some Trespasser DLC spoilers but the rest is stuff that never happened--</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take My Hand

**Author's Note:**

> I decided I'd do 2 more stories around the Trespasser DLC~ the other will come soon... I hope, maybe, i don't know.
> 
> I really hope you enjoy this, I'm sorry that I haven't read over it yet, so I will probably do editing later.  
> Happy reading!
> 
> Betrayal & Watchwords: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4798859

There were voices, distant but close, whispering but shouting. Soft cotton lay beneath her fingertips, her head braced by a pillow.

“For maker’s sake, Dorian, let him see her!”

There was a shuffle and then a loud bang as a hand hit the wooden door frame. “No, if you don’t remember he tried to kill me, Cassandra and her!”

A sigh and then a plea, “Sparkles, c’mon. She’s asleep and you can even stand here and burn him if he gets too close.”

Defeated, Dorian nodded, stepping aside for the Qunari to step past. She heard the familiar swish of his cotton pants, the sound becoming louder as he came closer, reducing to a soft shuffle as he stopped by the bed. He didn’t talk, he just stared. His large hand reached out to brush the strands of hair from her face but he coiled back as he felt the ice-cold stare from Dorian pierce his skull.  
She wanted to open her eyes and call out to him, but fatigue dragged her back into a deep sleep.

Bull sighed, drooping his head to stare at the cotton quilt she lay atop. With a heavy heart he made his way past Dorian to exit back out into the Winter Palace’s courtyard.  
\-----  
Rai awoke with a jolt as her dreams of the dread wolf faded and she noticed that she was alone. No Dorian, no Varric and no Iron Bull.  
She swung her legs off the bed and headed to the courtyard. She peaked her head through the tavern door to see Bull by the bar, but all she saw was Krem sitting on his stool with a drink in his hand. Her face must have dropped because Krem answered her silent question. “He’s up on the balcony.” 

she nodded in thanks, sprinting off the climb the multiple cases of stairs that led to the balcony overlooking the courtyard.

He stood there, hunched over with his arms braced on the balustrade as if a million planets weighed down onto his shoulders. Rai approached him with caution, finding her voice to call out in a small croaked voice, “Bull?”

He didn’t move, he didn’t do anything except slouch further into himself, leaning more over the balcony. Thoughts had been rushing through his mind since they had returned from the Davaarad, he had attacked her, got his sense and then proceeded to find Solas.  
She leapt through the Eluvian after the battle, rushing after the Vidasala to save Solas from his fate. Bull, Cassandra and Dorian stayed behind- unable to pass though the Eluvian. The minutes that passed seemed like endless hours as they stood waiting- hoping that she would come out alive and the piercing stare Dorian was boring into Bull’s skull wasn’t making the time pass by any quicker.

“ _Vishante Kaffas! The only reason why you’re still alive is because she wants you to be! If I had my way you’d be diced up and set in a boiling pot of some stew!”_ Dorian spat, completely enraged.  
But Bull didn’t bite back. He knew better than to talk back to the Tevinter mage when he was this riled up. He would surely turn him into charred Qunari if given the chance.

 _“She trusted you.”_ It was the only thing Cassandra had said, quietly in disbelief. That small sentence did more damage than Dorian’s ever could. It cut him deep, _she did and he betrayed that trust._  
The Eluvian lit up as Rai stumbled through, clutching her arm to her side. Bull stepped forward, not fazed by Dorian pulling his staff out and reading it to send a fireball flying in Bull’s direction if need be.

“Bull.” She croaked, looking up with heavy tears in her eyes and crashed her body against his, burying her face against his chest. Her tears came fast and hot, dampening his chest as she wrapped an arm around him.  
_Just an arm._ A stump tried wrapping itself around his torso, its failure causing her more grief. Then everything clicked. _The anchor._

The glowing green mark on her hand that had brought the Inquisition together, that made her into a leader. All the rifts it closed with him at her side, how it sealed the breach and brought down an arch demon- and it was gone. Her arm from the elbow down was gone, the end of the stump scarred from the anchor’s magic.  
She held onto him, sobbing and gasping for air. Her fingers gripped at him, nails digging into the flesh as she wailed, her heart breaking more with each passing moment.  
For 3 years she had lived with the anchor, flailing it at rifts and using its magic against foes but after those 3 years it had begun to hurt her, killing her slowly but then increasing in its haste. The anchor had done too much damage to her arm; its magic had crept up her arm, engulfing more of it before Solas had intervened, stopping the destructive magic and removing her arm... for good.

Bull nodded as she choked out what had happened behind the Eluvian and a new anger flared up inside him. _Solas would betray them, he wants to do exactly as Corypheus did!_  
But that anger gave way to a new thought, _this is probably how she felt somewhat when I attacked her. Betrayed and hurt, maybe even angry, I wouldn’t blame her for being angry._

They had helped her back to the Winter Palace, all three’s arms encircled around her as she wept. Bull pressed a kiss on top of her head, running his fingers though her hair as they walked. Dorian led her to her assigned quarters at the Winter Palace, hushing her to sleep with a small spell and then assumed his post at the door refusing entrance to the Qunari.  
Bull didn’t go to the Tavern, he just slumped past catching the attention of the Chargers who looked worriedly up from their tankards. He could hear them whispering about what was wrong with the chief. He didn’t have the heart to tell them. _Betrayer._

“Bull?” Rai’s voice pressed again, her fingertips brushing against his back. 

“Railene.” He hummed, avoiding her eyes.

She frowned, leaning against his side and hooking her remaining arm in his, “What happened to Kadan?” Her voice was still quiet, raw from crying.

“I don’t deserve to call you that.”

Her arm wrapped around his, squeezing, “Oh what _bullshit._ ” She scoffed, laughing, trying to make light hearted of the situation. 

“ _Railene,_ ” he grimaced through grit teeth, “I _attacked you! Don’t you remember! I should be locked away with all of those traitors that you have to judge and-_ “ He halted his rambling when Rai pressed her forehead against his arm.

“I forgave you, Bull. Is my forgiveness not good enough.”

Iron Bull sighed. “No, it’s enough.”

Rai smiled, unhooking her arm from his to trail her fingertips along his stubble, guiding his face down to plant a soft kiss on his lips. “Good.” She breathed, smiling as she let him stand up straight again.  
He still felt as if her forgiveness had come too easily, but how easy must it have been for her to forgive a man who betrayed her.

“Kadan,” he slouched back down to lean on the balustrade, “You said something about taking this further. Do you still want to?” His voice was thick was doubt, thinking that she would retract what she had said a few days prior to this day.

Her hand placed itself on top of his, her thumb brushing over his knuckles, “Of course.” She whispered, leaning against him as they stared out over the courtyard.  
\---

The next day, the Exalted Council had come to an end with the Inquisition in its new role as a peace keeping force.  
The inner circle gathered together out on the veranda that over-looked the valley, all exchanging hugs and goodbyes and a book between Varric and Cassandra. As everyone departed, Bull stood next to her, hand in hand staring at the scared sky that flicked green aura now and then.

Bull shifted, turning to face her, “Kadan,” his voice sweet as he spoke, “So I know how humans do this whole thing, but I’m not human the last time I checked and Qunari don’t do this and uhh—“

Rai snickered when she looked to the direction of where everyone had supposedly departed from, to find everyone still standing there _watching_ with grins of pure delight and happiness plastered on their faces.

“Well, we have an audience, Bull.” She laughed, staring up at him with the biggest smile she could muster.

Bull sighed, frustrated with his incompetence at this situation. “What I’m trying to say, Kadan, is—“ a deep breath, “May I have your hand in marriage.”

Rai snorted. _Loudly._ Only then did Bull realize his mistake. “ _Eye_ certainly wouldn’t say no.” 

Iron Bull frowned at her own little joke, _niiice one._ “So is that a yes or-“

Varric’s voice piped up loud and clear from the audience, “It’s a yes, Tiny! Andraste’s ass just _kiss her already!_ ”

And with that it was sealed with a kiss and an everite and dawnstone ring.


End file.
